Opinions on best time to book SW flights based on price

[KAYLI'S DAD]

Im curious when the best time to book a flight through SW. We are going in March for spring break and I know its a popular time but I dont know if the price per ticket will come down or if I should just book it.

 

[keishashadow]

You’ve already missed the release date pricing for those dates. Check prices on Tuesdays when the sales roll out.

How many tickets do you need? Make sure to price the flights out first for just 1 person. Often 2 or more will trigger a higher rate for all.

If you can travel Tues - Thursday, will likely see lower rates overall via sale prices

Are the current prices inflated over what you’ve paid in the past?

Will you be able to utilize any possible credit you may find later/a price drop?

I booked a flight a few weeks ago for the last Saturday of March. A NS but not my preferred departure time. It’s already dropped enough to book an earlier NS. I’m still stalking the one I really want.

Good luck

 

[tstein12]

If you buy your tickets on Southwest now, and then notice the price has decreased after you bought them, you can "change" your reservation online leaving the dates/times the same and Southwest will give you a credit to use on a future flight up to a year later. I recently did this for flights I booked for our Thanksgiving trip.

 

[sam_gordon]

If you buy your tickets on Southwest now, and then notice the price has decreased after you bought them, you can "change" your reservation online leaving the dates/times the same and Southwest will give you a credit to use on a future flight up to a year later. I recently did this for flights I booked for our Thanksgiving trip.

Just know that "up to a year" started from when you first purchase your tickets. So if you buy tickets now for a trip in April, change your reservation in January, you need to use the credit by November 2020.

 

[DebbieB]

Another thing to consider when you book with Travel Funds (credit), your new ticket retains the expiration date of the credit, not the date you purchased it. For example, I bought a ticket for December on 6/20/19. The other day the price went down and I got a $150 credit. I booked a ticket on 10/31 for next April and used the $150 credit. That April ticket now shows an expiration date of 6/20/20, not 10/31/20. For $150 credit, it's worth it (I only ended up paying $14) but for a $10 or $20 credit you need to think about that. If my April trip goes down, I probably would not bother because any new ticket I purchase with the credit will expire 6/20/20.

 

[NH-to-FL]

I would buy now as popular travel times usually sell out which reduces the likelihood that Southwest's will lower the price. The higher likelihood is that the flights you want will sell out if you wait.

In general we have found that the best time to buy is on the release date. We have found that flights to Orlando, or more specifically the nonstop flights we prefer, seldom go on sale.